Charges Filed In Dextromethorphan Overdose Deaths

BELLINGHAM - 17-year-old Ryan Morgan died a year ago. He and a friend, 19-year-old Cory Carlson, overdosed on a pure form of Dextromethorphan, also known as DSM or 'DEX'.

This week, federal prosecutors charged the two men accused of selling the drug to them online.

"The amount of their product that killed my son and his friend cost about a $1.40," said Ryan's father, Dennis Morgan.

Ryan and Cory bought the DEX online from 'Chemical API', a company run out of an Indianapolis apartment. Jess Johnson was Director of Operations. Robert Denman was Marketing Director. They are accused of selling the mislabeled drugs across state lines.

"It was the source of supply of the Dextromethorphan that was shipped from Indianapolis to Danville, Virginia, Bellingham, Washington and Florida," said U.S. Attorney Susan Brooks, who works out of Indianapolis.

Federal Agents say Johnson and Denman ordered Dextromethorphan from India. Last January, they repackaged the DEX and sold it online.

One package went to Danville, Virginia, where a 17-year-old took it and died. Another went to Fort Meyers, Florida where two 19-year-olds died after overdosing on the DEX.

A third package went to Cory and Ryan in Bellingham.

The U.S. Attorney in Indiana says Chemical API's owners pleaded guilty to shipping the drug and mislabeling it. Investigators say they labeled the drug 'not for human consumption', but they knew who was buying it and why.

Kids have used DEX to get high by taking large amounts of cough medicine. 'Chemical API' sold a concentrated powder form. Mixed with alcohol or marijuana, it can cause sudden death.

Johnson and Denman face a sentence of nine years in prison and a $250,000 fines.